Quite an unusual session for trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a set done during his early run of albums for Blue Note, but one that's got some much darker, more modern qualities than the rest! The music here almost verges on some of the "new thing" material of the period on the label – although is not as far outside as some of the others – and the record features two different groups – both with excellent early work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and really unique use of euphonium from Kiane Zawadi, whose depth on the instrument really explores the darker currents of sound. In addition to Freddie's trumpet work, the set also features Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley on tenors, Harold Mabern and McCoy Tyner on pianos, and Clifford Jarvis and Pete LaRoca on drums. Big Black also adds in percussion on the cuts "Cunga Black" and "Soul Surge" – and other titles include "Outer Forces", "Blue Spirits", and "Jodo". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual session for trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a set done during his early run of albums for Blue Note, but one that's got some much darker, more modern qualities than the rest! The music here almost verges on some of the "new thing" material of the period on the label – although is not as far outside as some of the others – and the record features two different groups – both with excellent early work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and really unique use of euphonium from Kiane Zawadi, whose depth on the instrument really explores the darker currents of sound. In addition to Freddie's trumpet work, the set also features Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley on tenors, Harold Mabern and McCoy Tyner on pianos, and Clifford Jarvis and Pete LaRoca on drums. Big Black also adds in percussion on the cuts "Cunga Black" and "Soul Surge" – and other titles include "Outer Forces", "Blue Spirits", and "Jodo". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual session for trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a set done during his early run of albums for Blue Note, but one that's got some much darker, more modern qualities than the rest! The music here almost verges on some of the "new thing" material of the period on the label – although is not as far outside as some of the others – and the record features two different groups – both with excellent early work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and really unique use of euphonium from Kiane Zawadi, whose depth on the instrument really explores the darker currents of sound. In addition to Freddie's trumpet work, the set also features Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley on tenors, Harold Mabern and McCoy Tyner on pianos, and Clifford Jarvis and Pete LaRoca on drums. Big Black also adds in percussion on the cuts "Cunga Black" and "Soul Surge" – and other titles include "Outer Forces", "Blue Spirits", and "Jodo". CD

A landmark set for Blue Note – one that features Freddie Hubbard working in raw, firey, freewheeling territory – given space that few other players at the label were getting at the time! The two volume set features tracks recorded live at Club La Marchal in Brooklyn – and have Hubbard working with a completely hip group that features Lee Morgan, James Spaulding, Harold Mabern, Larry Ridley, Pete La Roca, and Big Black on conga. Each side of the album features one long track – and this second volume features the tunes "Jodo" and "Breaking Point" – done in an extended style that's much rougher and rawer than Hubbard's studio albums of the time! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark set for Blue Note – one that features Freddie Hubbard working in raw, firey, freewheeling territory – given space that few other players at the label were getting at the time! The two volume set features tracks recorded live at Club La Marchal in Brooklyn – and have Hubbard working with a completely hip group that features Lee Morgan, James Spaulding, Harold Mabern, Larry Ridley, Pete La Roca, and Big Black on conga. The sound is incredible – a full on burner that easily earns the "cookers" status of the title – and which sounds quite different from most other live jazz albums of the time! Each side of the album features one long track – and this 2CD set features both volumes, with 4 extended titles that include – "Pensativa", "Walkin", "Jodo", and "Breaking Point". CD

Moody genius from Freddie Hubbard – a really unusual album that stands out not only from some of his other Blue Note work of the 60s, but also from most of the rest of his catalog as well! Part of the album's uniqueness is its group – an unusual lineup with McCoy Tyner on piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bernard McKinney on euphonium – a tuba-like instrument that gives the album a nicely shadowy sound! McKinney's probably better known for his 70s work with the Tribe scene in Detroit – but here, he's a young player with an innovative sound – one that makes the album one of Freddie's most striking of the period – a soulfully modern set that's set apart from his straighter hardbop work! The album features some great original tunes by Hubbard and Shorter – and other players include Elvin Jones on drums and Art Davis on bass – on titles that include "Crisis", "Birdlike", "Arietis", and "Weaver Of Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent collection of Hubbard's work for the Impulse label, mostly from Hubbard's two excellent albums: Body & Soul and The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard. Body & Soul features large group arrangements by Wayne Shorter that are completely sublime, and some of the most compelling large group work that either player was ever involved in. Artistry of Freddie Hubbard features the trumpeter in a small group setting with John Gilmor on tenor – playing some very edgey numbers that blow away his Blue Note work! Titles include "The 7th Day", "Skylark", "Bob's Place", "Cascades", "Carnival", "Clarence's Place", "Stolen Moments", and "Thermo". LP, Vinyl record album

A great and rare solo guitar record by Lena Hughes – issued here by Tompkins Square – a label that's put out some of the best fingerstyle guitar folk releases in recent memory – in both the contemporary and archival realms! Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar is an archival release in their Long Gone Sound Series – and it's one of best yet! Lena, born in 1904, was rural Missourian amateur guitarist and mainstay at Ozarks area folk festivals. This record is her one-and-only known album – and though she's also remembered as a fine fiddler and banjo player, it finds her focusing on flat top guitar in the tradition of 19th century parlor music. Warm and wonderful stuff – as inviting as anything we've heard on Tompkins Square. Includes "Pearly Dew", "Under The Double Eagle", "Letter Edged In Black", "Blue Heaven", "Galloway Bay", "You Are The Only Star Of My Blue Heaven", "Spanish Fan-Dango", "Kentucky Moon Waltz", "Silver Treads Among The Gold", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and"Cedar Brook Waltz". CD

Sublime genius from funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey – a record we'd rank right up there with her classic Blacks & Blues set – and like that one, another fantastic collaboration with producer Larry Mizell! The groove here is tremendous throughout – a heady mix of Bobbi's flute, Larry's keyboards, and some additional work from Jerry Peters, Skip Scarborough, and other 70s funky jazz legends – all coming together in a large lineup that works together with an amazingly tight and stripped-down groove – a sound that seems to flow effortlessly from the breeze, but which was the long result of careful work in the studio by Larry Mizell and his brother Fonce, who also helped on arrangements. Humphrey is in excellent form – blowing with a tone that's hard, crisp, and very soulful – and the spacey keyboards and gentle grooves lift her flute way out into the cosmos, yet never push things too far! Every cut's a winner – and titles include "You Make Me Feel So Good", "Please Set Me At Ease", "Uno Esta", "The Trip", "Fancy Dancer", and "Mestizo Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The sticks are up, and Bobby Hutcherson is at the top of his game – hitting a whole new groove here in this sublime session of modal numbers for Blue Note – a slightly warmer set than his more modern albums of the "new thing" years, and a great indication of the directions he'd take in the 70s! Bobby's vibes are set up wonderfully here in a quintet that includes Joe Henderson on tenor sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all players who bring key elements to the groove. Tyner's got an obvious ear for the modal rhythms that Hutcherson's heading for; Higgins' drum work is freely lyrical in all the best ways; and Henderson's horn sharpens the edges of the tunes a bit, bringing in some nice darker sounds. The kickoff track is an amazing modal reading of Ornette's "Una Muy Bonita", and the rest tracks are all Hutcherson originals, including "Summer Nights", "8/4 Beat", "Black Circle", "Verse", and "Blues Mind Matter". LP, Vinyl record album

The sticks are up, and Bobby Hutcherson is at the top of his game – hitting a whole new groove here in this sublime session of modal numbers for Blue Note – a slightly warmer set than his more modern albums of the "new thing" years, and a great indication of the directions he'd take in the 70s! Bobby's vibes are set up wonderfully here in a quintet that includes Joe Henderson on tenor sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all players who bring key elements to the groove. Tyner's got an obvious ear for the modal rhythms that Hutcherson's heading for; Higgins' drum work is freely lyrical in all the best ways; and Henderson's horn sharpens the edges of the tunes a bit, bringing in some nice darker sounds. The kickoff track is an amazing modal reading of Ornette's "Una Muy Bonita", and the rest are all Hutcherson originals, including "Summer Nights", "8/4 Beat", "Black Circle", "Verse", and "Blues Mind Matter". CD

The sticks are up, and Bobby Hutcherson is at the top of his game – hitting a whole new groove here in this sublime session of modal numbers for Blue Note – a slightly warmer set than his more modern albums of the "new thing" years, and a great indication of the directions he'd take in the 70s! Bobby's vibes are set up wonderfully here in a quintet that includes Joe Henderson on tenor sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all players who bring key elements to the groove. Tyner's got an obvious ear for the modal rhythms that Hutcherson's heading for; Higgins' drum work is freely lyrical in all the best ways; and Henderson's horn sharpens the edges of the tunes a bit, bringing in some nice darker sounds. The kickoff track is an amazing modal reading of Ornette's "Una Muy Bonita", and the rest tracks are all Hutcherson originals, including "Summer Nights", "8/4 Beat", "Black Circle", "Verse", and "Blues Mind Matter". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary Phyllis Hyman – a set that not only includes her groundbreaking records as a solo act, but also a big range of her famous collaborations with jazz artists who include Norman Connors, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, and Grover Washington! Hyman is a singer unlike anyone else – an artist who was raised equally in jazz and soul, then found a way to mix the best of both with a new sort of sophistication that made her one of the most important female soul talents to show the way forward during the 80s – an artist who was always equal parts class and care, soul and style – and one who departed our planet all too soon. Fortunately, even after a short time of recording, Phyllis already left us an amazing legacy of music – as you'll hear in this set of overstuffed gems – a 33 track package that includes "Sacred Kind Of Love", "Baby", "You Know How To Love Me", "Under Your Spell", "Sleep On It", "Loving You Losing You (12" mix)", "Deliver The Love", "Can't We Fall In Love Again", "Let Somebody Love You", "Gonna Make Changes", "Black & Blue", "Somewhere In My Lifetime", "I'll Be Around", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "No One Can Love You More (7" version)", "Just Imagine", "Love Surrounds Us Everywhere", "In A Sentimental Mood", "In Search Of My Heart", "I Don't Want To Lose You", "Why Did You Turn Me On", "Riding The Tiger (single)", and "Tonight You & Me (disco version)". CD

Three albums from pianist Klaus Ignatek – all served up in a single set! First up is Jacaranda, a set that shows that Klaus is a great player on his own, but also a really great leader – one who always has a special ear for putting a group together, and bringing out the best in the musicians on his sessions! This record is a great example of that talent – as it really seems to bring out the best in trumpeter Claudio Roditi, driven on strongly by Mario Gonzi on drums and Paulo Cardoso on bass – all stretching out on long tracks that move easily between lyrical moments and harder-burning numbers – with more than a few great originals to remind us of the compositional talents of Klaus! Titles include "Blues For Lee", "Day For Night", "Jacaranda", "Let's Take A Break", and "Monster Mood" – plus nice takes on "Eu E Brisa" and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". Don't Stop It Is an overlooked 80s cooker from pianist Klaus Ignatzek – a set that's full of imagination, right from the very first note – thanks to a string of all original material that matches the strong performances on the set! Trumpeter Claudio Roditi is a key part of the quartet – and maybe gets a showcase here that's as strong as some of his better-known albums from the decade – really finding his groove with the material that Ignatzek brings to the record, in ways that are also nicely distinct, and show just how much Claudio can add to a session. Other players include Paulo Cardoso on bass and Mario Gonzi on drums – and the record's a gem through and through, with titles that include "Summer & Spring", "Move It", "Ballad For Ulli", "Whisper Yes", "That's It", and "Blue Energy". New Surprise is a record with a really joyous groove, and maybe one of the tightest sets we've ever heard from pianist Klaus Ignatzek – and that's saying a lot, as all of his records are pretty darn sharp! The groove is great – rock-solid basslines from Paulo Cardoso and drums from Mario Gonzi – with sparkling solos over the top from Claudio Roditi on trumpet and Tim Armacost on tenor – plays who spark all sorts of color and light on the great material that Klaus brought to the session! Titles include "Monster Mood", "Horace Gold", "For Sure", "Black Humour", and "New Surprise". CD

More than a decade of work from Incognito, and Bluey's still going strong! The group here are picking up some of the 21st Century Soul touches of late 90s Talking Loud – but that's a great thing by us, as they forge together the warmth of their earlier tunes with the crisp freshness of the London scene of the future – hence the title, wethinks! Tracks include "Black Rain", "I Can See The Future", "Nights Over Egypt", "Wild & Peaceful", "Get Into My Groove", "Yesterday's Dream", and "It Ain't Easy". CD

One of the key records that helped cement the role of tenorist Willis Jackson in the soul jazz scene of the 60s – a record that not only features some killer Hammond from Jack McDuff, but also plenty of guitar from the great Bill Jennings! Unlike some other McDuff sessions, there's bass on this one – plus conga work from Buck Clarke on one cut, who really keeps things kicking. Titles include "The Man I Love", "Blue Strollin", "A Smooth One", and "Keep On A Blowin". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic side of the many talents of Joseph Jarman – best known as a key member of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and a saxophonist whose talents were crucial to the formation of the AACM – but also a very strong writer, as you'll discover in this book! This version is the full 1977 version of Black Case – and brings together material from the original self-published version in 1974, plus other writings that Jarman had done over the years – some of which later turned up as texts on a variety of albums! The book is a mixture of poetry, free verse, and some prose – sometimes personal, but also very political – maybe even more so than the work of the AEOC. The whole thing is a fantastic revelation, and a representation of Jarman's connection to a much richer cultural world in Chicago – and the book is beautifully done – blue text on white pages, with some images sprinkled throughout – very much a facsimile of the original. 146 pages, softcover. Book

Ultra-hip work from pianist Keith Jarrett – a session that's filled with joy and life, and which has a lot more energy than some of his albums for ECM! The work here is kind of a refinement of the freer styles that Jarrett had laid down on previous albums – performed with a strongly rhythmic undercurrent, but one that also opens up to some strong top-end melodies as well – played not only by Jarrett on piano, but also by Dewey Redman on tenor, in a group with Sam Brown on guitar, Paul Motian on drums, and Guilherme Franco and Danny Johnson on percussion. Titles include "The Rich & The Poor", "Blue Streak", "Le Mistral", "Angles Without Edges", "Treasure Island", and "Sister Fortune". LP, Vinyl record album

An issue that definitely delivers on its promise of great hard bop records – as it offers up a visual discography of classic albums in the format – plenty of Blue Note gems, plus some overlooked records too – all with images of the covers in black and white, details in English, and reviews in Japanese! The issue has a short but beautiful color section at the start – then runs through its long hardbop feature, along with additional articles on key players in Japanese – plus other jazz columns and reviews, again in Japanese – but illustrated with black and white images throughout. 240 pages, squarebound, with black and white and color images. Book